pre /prē/ (informal)

Before, prior to

pre- /prē-/ (as living prefix) or prae- /prē- or prī-/ (Latin spelling, more common formerly)

1. (1) before in time, beforehand, in advance, as in prehistoric, pre-war, prewarn
2. (2) in front, in front of, the anterior part of, as in predentate, premandibular, presternum (esp anatomy)
3. (3) surpassingly, to the highest degree, as in pre-eminent, prepotent

Some words formed with the prefix pre-; the numbers in brackets refer to the numbered senses in the entry for pre-

preacquaintˈ (acquaint) vt (1)

preacquaintˈance (acquaintance) n (1)

preadolesˈcence (adolescence) n (1)

preadolesˈcent (adolescent) adj (1)

preannounceˈ (announce) vt (1)

preappointˈ (appoint) vt (1)

prearrangeˈ (arrange) vt (1)

prearrangeˈment (arrangement) n (1)

preassurˈance (assurance) n (1)

pre-buyˈ (buy) vi vt (1)

prechrisˈtian pre-Chrisˈtian (Christian) adj (1)

preclassˈical (classical) adj (1)

precoˈital (coital) adj (1)

precoloˈnial (colonial) adj (1)

pre-Columˈbian (Columbian) adj (1)

precomposeˈ (compose) vt (1)

precondemnˈ (condemn) vt (1)

pre-conˈquest (conquest) n (1)

preconsonanˈtal (consonantal) adj (1)

preconstructˈ (construct) vt (1)

preconstrucˈtion (construction) n (1)

preconsumeˈ (consume) vt (1)

precoolˈ (cool) vt (1)

precopulaˈtory (copulatory) adj (1)

predawnˈ (dawn) n (1)

predefineˈ (define) vt (1)

predefiniˈtion (definition) n (1)

predesignˈ (design) vt (1)

predevelˈop (develop) vt vi (1)

predevelˈopment (development) n (1)

predoomˈ (doom) vt (1)

pre-employˈ (employ) vt (1)

pre-engageˈ (engage) vt (1)

pre-engageˈment (engagement) n (1)

preˈflight (flight) adj (1)

preheatˈ (heat) vt (1)

pre-letˈ (let) vt (1)

premixˈ (mix) vt (1)

prenegoˈtiate (negotiate) vi vt (1)

prenegotiaˈtion (negotiation) n (1)

prenoˈtify (notify) vt (1)

prenuˈbile (nubile) adj (1)

preocˈular (ocular) adj (2)

preoperaˈtional (operational) adj (1)

preopˈerative (operative) adj (1)

preoˈral (oral) adj (2)

preorˈder (order) vt (1)

pre-posiˈtion (position) vt (2)

preproˈgrammed (programmed) adj (1)

prerecordˈ (record) vt (1)

prerecordˈed (recorded) adj (1)

pre-Reformaˈtion adj (1)

preregistraˈtion (registration) n adj (1)

pretestˈ (test) vt (1)

pre-warˈ (war) adj adv (1)

prewarmˈ (warm) vt (1)

prewarnˈ (warn) vt (1)

• pressed day
• pressed days
• pressed glass
• presser
• pressers
• presses
• press fastener
• press fasteners
• pressfat
• pressfats
• press flesh
• pressful
• pressfuls
• press galleries
• press gallery
• press gang
• press-gang
• press-ganged
• press-ganging
• press gangs
• press-gangs
• pressie
• pressies
• pressing
• pressingly